The Boy Who Lives To Protect
by LT
Summary: After an entire village getting killed, Ken has grown up killing evil. Discovering these strange stones years later, him and his friends find out the power they hold, in the upcoming war that may be their last... * A Digimon/Kenshin crossover *


The Boy Who Lives To Protect * A Digimon/Kenshin Crossover *  
  
Few things before I start the story:  
  
-This is a Digimon/Kenshin crossover, but I've blended it into my own mix of a story (it took me 4 hrs…..just like when I made up my Diaboromon fic)  
  
  
  
-I've made up my own plot to it, knowing I've only seen 2 half eps of Kenshin when I started it, so some parts will be based on that and the rest is my thoughts  
  
-I tried cutting down most of the graphic violence (if you've seen the show, and think of the board, you'd get it)  
  
-The characters personalities have been changed……..a lot  
  
  
  
-most of the story is culture a lot on Japanese culture, so if ya don't get some phrases etc. just ask me.  
  
  
  
-I realized the indenting is a bit off, but that was until I noticed HTML shows up in fanfic.net :/  
  
  
  
-"Rutsu" in Japanese translates to "LT" ;)  
  
  
  
-I'm not sure if many will be able to follow through the story, so I'm trying to add as much detail as possible (not caring how long this fic might turn out to be…) But I've added a lot of stuff that younger ppl might not get, but who knows…  
  
  
  
Enjoy! And please tell me what you think of it! 4 hrs. in the making (I couldn't even get to sleep from all the thinking!)  
  
Prologue  
  
-Japan 1850  
  
In a small peaceful village, was soon about to meat its doom…  
  
It's dusk, and people are still going around doing their nightly work, as the two young orphan children play in one of the homes.  
  
"Do you remember your parents, Rutsu-San?"  
  
"Not really. My memory from then wasn't all that great."  
  
Then, their caretaker came into the room.  
  
"Ken, Rutsu, you're supposed to be sleeping by now." she said.  
  
Her name was Sakura, and she had taken care of them ever since both their families have died in the same war.  
  
With disappointed looks on their faces the children went to their beds.  
  
"You two get some sleep so you can do your work in the morning."  
  
They nodded and soon enough, Ken was fast asleep.  
  
But Rutsu wasn't.  
  
She kept looking out the window, watching the tree outside sway back in forth in the light wind.  
  
The moon was in view at about a quarter, as it provided some light to the night workers outside.  
  
A small noise frightened from outside her and she headed for the window and started climbing the tree.  
  
The tree was not all that big so once she reached the top of it, she couldn't see over her The sound of people shouting could now be heard, but no one knew what was happening yet.  
  
Sakura came into the bedroom panic stricken.  
  
"You two must get out of here right away!"  
  
Ken woke up quickly and looked over noticing Rutsu was not there.  
  
"Hurry up you two and meet me out at the front of the village! We've got to get out of here! Ken, you must protect Rustu!" She demanded, without knowing Rutsu wasn't there.  
  
Ken looked around and then out the window and saw she was in the tree.  
  
"Get down form there! We've got to get out of here!"  
  
Rutsu was scared at what was happening and instead of coming back inside her house, she jump down and headed another way.  
  
"Rustu-San!" Ken called out as he jumped out of the window and ran towards her.  
  
She was heading for the forest, and as she neared it, two men jumped out holding swords.  
  
There were foreigners from out of the village.  
  
As soon as they heard screams coming from the pathway that leads out of the village, they now knew what was going on; it was a vicious massacre.  
  
The villagers ran for their lives as many murderers brutally slaughtered them.  
  
Ken and Rutsu ran towards the others, as the two foreigners were soon chasing them.  
  
They were the only children in the group, as they knew they had to keep running even when the foreigners pulled out their swords and killed many of the people they well knew.  
  
The one, who made most of the killings, was the only man on horseback.  
  
Soon enough, only the children and Sakura were left.  
  
As they kept running, the horseman held out his hand for the others to stop.  
  
The horseman jumped off his horse, and grabbed Sakura's wrist.  
  
Ken and Rutsu hid among the many corpses and watched in terror.  
  
He threw her to the ground and started to viciously beat her.  
  
"You two must live…she said…"  
  
He then brought her to her feet, as she stumbled trying to stand up from the pain.  
  
"You both must listen to me and live!"  
  
The horseman drew out a glimmering new sword and within a second, slid it right through the back of her neck.  
  
Sakura grasped onto the end of it, which was drenched with her own blood.  
  
He slowly slipped out and she fell to the ground facing the children.  
  
"Ken-San…you must protect…Rutsu…"  
  
The horseman soon thrusted the sword into her neck, and climbed back upon his horse.  
  
The two stayed still and didn't breathe a word.  
  
The murderers were ready to go back to their village but one of them whispered something to the horseman.  
  
He turned around and looked at them.  
  
"Yes, they would both be better off separated…"  
  
He went over and took Rutsu by the arm and brought her onto the horse.  
  
She didn't bother to struggle, not knowing if they were going to spare her life or not.  
  
The last words of Sakura echoed in his head and they were trotting away.  
  
Taking the sword out of Sakura's neck, he charged over towards the horseman.  
  
One of his soldiers warned him and passed him another sword.  
  
Ken wanted to stab him very badly.  
  
He ended up stopping and dodge the horseman's sword.  
  
Although, it almost missed him as it sliced a fine line down his right cheek.  
  
"Foolish boy…" the horseman said as he kicked Ken unconscious into the bodies of the fallen villagers.  
  
Walking not too far out of the village, they stopped at a nearby cow pasture and dropped her on the ground.  
  
Swinging the sword at her a few times, Rustu was able to dodge it every time.  
  
One came quite close though and she screamed.  
  
Ending up missing, the sword hit a nearby fencepost.  
  
Ken was awaken form the scream and the sound of the chop, and had thought they had killed her.  
  
He felt a pain on his cheek and put his hand to it.  
  
A thick red line of blood was now on his hand.  
  
A few hours later after the horseman had left the village he slaughtered, came across some empty pathway and dropped Rustu there.  
  
Then, his soldiers and him left leaving her there all by herself.  
  
Some people walked by within minutes and noticed this young child lying in the grass.  
  
So, they took her with them and went home.  
  
On the other hand, Ken was up all night burring the bodies and making crosses for where they lay.  
  
Dawn was now breaking and he whipped the sweat off his forehead.  
  
Ken shielded his eyes, as a man was walking up to him from the sunrise.  
  
He picked up a sword he saved, and stood his ground.  
  
"I am no enemy." He told him.  
  
"Though, I have witnessed what had happened last night."  
  
"Then why didn't you try and stop it?" Ken asked with glaring eyes.  
  
"Because I came to bring you this."  
  
He took out a sword case and revealed a brand new katana sword.  
  
"It's…for me?"  
  
"The one you're using now isn't suited for a great warrior. What's your name boy?"  
  
"I'm Ken. Who are you?"  
  
"I am Hiko Seijuro, a master swordsman. I've wanted to ask you if you would like to be taught some skills by me. The skills, only used for justice, and never to slaughter."  
  
Ken just looked up at the man and then down at this sword he was providing him.  
  
Then, he thought if he would ever turn into one of the murderers last night, but remembered what he wanted to do.  
  
"I want to get him back." He said,  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"The leader of the killers last night. I'm the only one left, and now I want to kill him."  
  
"Looks like you still have the fighting spirit inside of you. I noticed that before when you attempted to stop him." Hiko told him.  
  
Ken couldn't quite decide to go or not.  
  
Looking back at the village, all the crosses that lay in the ground, and the ashes of the torched buildings he used to live in.  
  
Hiko handed his sword and Ken held it in the air to examine.  
  
"You may also need this." He said handed Ken a cloth for his deep cut.  
  
"Arigato. Alright, I choose to come." Ken said drying to stop the bleeding.  
  
"Very well, but if you want to be trained be me, you must know only two rules:  
  
Always obey my commands and whatever I tell you to do, and never touch my Mitsurugi-Ryu sword."  
  
Hiko held the sword out to show him the exact one he meant.  
  
"I've a very powerful sword, and only the very strong spirited and master fighters are able to use it. It's been told that if you aren't skilled enough to use this sword, it may control you and even make you into a killer. Although, I've trained all my life so it's quite simple for me to take control of."  
  
Soon, the two headed down a path towards the dawning of a new day…  
  
Chapter: 1  
  
During the passing years Ken did become a very powerful warrior.  
  
From his trainings and teaching from his sensei, he learned many things, not just about fighting but how to be pure and how it could help you.  
  
Ken fought in many wars against many enemies, and never came out with more than a scratch.  
  
He didn't have any enemies because they were all dead, but the one from years ago remained alive…  
  
Traveling all over Japan, and soon already 15 years had past very quickly…  
  
-Japan 1865  
  
Right now it was dusk, and they had traveled to a nearby farm by a town.  
  
Ken peered into a well and starred his reflection.  
  
Am I really a killer? He thought.  
  
Or am I really killing for good…  
  
He wondered for a while, and noticed Hiko left his sword nearby.  
  
Hiko was in the village purchasing some rice for their next journey at the time.  
  
He remembered that only a skilled fighter could use the sword, or even touch it.  
  
"I'm skilled though."  
  
Temptation was coming all around him; he's always envied his trainer for being able to use it.  
  
The sword did have something to it with never being able to rust, and having blood slid right of the precious metal.  
  
Ken looked at his own sword, which was beat up from his many battles.  
  
"No I CAN use it now."  
  
He reached over with a trembling hand and held onto the handle.  
  
Nothing had happened.  
  
He brought it closer to him, and still nothing.  
  
Then, something came over him like a pain stabbing his back.  
  
Ken felt his grip become tighter around the handle, and become a bit bloodthirsty.  
  
He looked back into the well's water hoping to find his own reflection, but no.  
  
Something was very different.  
  
He ran towards the forest and hid in a bush, to stalk into the town, waiting like a cat to pounce on his next victim.  
  
Three innocent looking men were coming down the path into the town walls, and he listened to every word.  
  
"So your marrying Tomiko in a few days right?" one asked.  
  
"Yes, I've been waiting a long time for the day to come."  
  
Then, they all went into an empty building where they lit a candle to see around and slid the door closed.  
  
It was his chance.  
  
Ready with his sword, Ken came out and ran down.  
  
They didn't even realize it.  
  
He quietly went over to the door and watched that no one was looking.  
  
Ken slide the door open and walked a step in.  
  
"Isn't that the Ken from the Bakumastu Samurais?" one asked.  
  
"I think so, but what is he doing here, he's on our side."  
  
With a battle cry he charged over with his sword.  
  
For one man, he seared right across the belly.  
  
The other two tried to escape, but Ken blocked the way and wouldn't let them go.  
  
A single window was the only light that the building let in and one man gasped.  
  
"Something's wrong! Look at his eyes, there is no shine to them, he's a Hitokiri, a killer!"  
  
His eyes had a kind of possessed look to it.  
  
He charged over to the other man and slashed him at the side.  
  
On the final man, he stabbed him through the heart and lifted the body into the air, as some kind of evil greatness victory.  
  
A rumble of thunder began outside as it started to rain.  
  
Ken slipped the body onto the floor and noticed on was still alive.  
  
"Please…I can't die! Not now! Tomiko…she needs me."  
  
He reached his hand out, as his side kept bleeding.  
  
Ken just looked at him and went over.  
  
Taking the sword he shoved it into his neck and twisted.  
  
He walked outside leaving them inside.  
  
He ran into the forest to try and make it to the next town before dawn, so he could make another kill.  
  
Hiko noticed him running with the sword and dropped the bag of rice.  
  
"This cannot be."  
  
Many people looked in the building, and gossiped among each other.  
  
Hiko went over, but tried not getting involved with the situation.  
  
"It's the smell of deaths from a cold-hearted killer, not a true warrior." One man said.  
  
Hiko had enough and went to try and find Ken before it happens again.  
  
He watched as Ken fiercely ran through the forest, and had to stop him quickly.  
  
Hiko crept around silently in the bushes, as Ken didn't even notice.  
  
He cut through and soon enough was a few feet directly in front of Ken.  
  
Hiko took out a spare sword from his satchel around his back and charged as well.  
  
Ken ran to the side as Hiko dodged his sword, and cut another diagonal line across his cheek, making it form an "X."  
  
Form the surprise, Ken dropped his sword and knelt on the ground.  
  
Hiko went and picked up the Mitsurui-Ryu sword and put them back in their cases.  
  
Ken was still in shock from what all happened.  
  
"Foolish boy!"  
  
"I'm…I'm sorry."  
  
"You do know that part of the reason it can take over from not being a proper Samurai, is because you weren't Samurai enough to listen to your sensei's orders!" Hiko yelled.  
  
He just paced around looking disgusted at what he had done.  
  
"Just look at those innocent people you have just killed! One begged to stop you form killing them but what did you do?"  
  
Ken turned around.  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"I could see it in your eyes before. Those, demon-possessed eyes you had. Although they are normal now you're somehow going to live with that your entire life!"  
  
Ken starred from thought and then fell to the ground feeling terrible.  
  
Then, Hiko started leaving and Ken looked up.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I have no other reason to train a baka like you! You were a pure fighting spirit before, what happened? I'm taking my leave and you're on your own now."  
  
He watched as he walked away, just leaving him there like that until he disappeared into the darkness…  
  
Although he was about 20 now, Ken still felt like he still needed someone around.  
  
He got up and headed towards the farm to get his sword back that still stood by the well.  
  
When he got there, he looked back into the well's water hoping to find himself.  
  
He did, but somehow the reflection had changed, more than just the other scratch he now had.  
  
The chickens that were roaming around stopped and watched near the village.  
  
Ken looked over and saw people burying the people he had murdered with many crying eyes.  
  
He hung his head, and went over to look at his sword.  
  
What am I supposed to be doing? He asked himself.  
  
He picked up the sword and just starred at it.  
  
I feel like, this isn't my destiny all these killings. I've wanted revenge from before and still haven't received it yet, but I still think there's more to that…  
  
Ken slipped the sword into the case around his back and walked around.  
  
Now, he wasn't one of the greatest Samurai's that ever lived, but a mere lonely person that wanders around Japan without knowing what to do…  
  
Chapter: 2  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Shortly after Hiko had left Ken, dawn was soon breaking and Rutsu all grown up was already awake.  
  
She lived in the only room that was upstairs of her home, where a couple took care of her when the horseman left her.  
  
One window shown out the ocean, knowing this village was near a cliff, as the other window shown out the village gardens.  
  
She too, became a fighter, yet only trained in her life, never killed.  
  
Getting ready for a new day of self-training, she grabbed a bag filled with arrows and attached a new string to her bow, and then went onto the room.  
  
Rutsu peered around looking for invisible victims she got shoot at.  
  
Jumping into a tree to try and hide, most of her trainings were done in a fun way, but were serious.  
  
Rutsu just sat in the tree and waited.  
  
After a while of sitting she decided to go back into her room, but noticed a rustling in a tall hedge.  
  
Was it just one of the local deer feeding? Or was it a serious enemy?  
  
She jumped to the ground and slowly went over as quietly as possible with an arrow ready to shoot.  
  
The hedge shook again and sounded like too much of a force to be a deer.  
  
Rutsu backed up and coming around the corner of it was some man wearing all black, grasping onto a sword.  
  
Frightened and being a bit shaky, she tried shooting but only managed to hit his foot.  
  
She kept backing up, for this was her first real-life enemy experience!  
  
The bow fell out of her hand and he just kept coming.  
  
Walking on a path that comes past the village was Ken.  
  
He noticed movement at the corner of his eye and saw the trouble.  
  
Ken quickly got his sword out and went behind a tree to make a surprise attack.  
  
"I know you have it," the attacker told her pointing the sword an inch away from her.  
  
Running from the tree, Ken came running.  
  
The attacker turned around and saw him coming.  
  
As Ken charged over, the attacker put his sword away and fled.  
  
Ken looked at him strangely running away and he put his own sword away.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked Rutsu.  
  
"Yes, but you have a familiar face. I'm sure I know you from somewhere."  
  
He just looked at her and thought, but nothing came up.  
  
Rustu looked straight into his eyes and thought hard.  
  
"Ken-Chan, is that you?"  
  
He seemed surprised this stranger knew his name.  
  
"Yes, and who are you?"  
  
"Rutsu. Don't you remember back?"  
  
Finally he did, he could always remember the killings and the voices, but never the faces.  
  
"I remember. I thought you were killed though."  
  
"I almost was, but was brought here and grew-up. Where have you been?" she asked.  
  
"Training and fighting battles all my life, dark stuff started happening so it's in my dark past now."  
  
Rutsu smiled and hugged him.  
  
Ken just stood there not knowing what to do.  
  
He never has felt raw emotion before, so wasn't used to this kind of thing.  
  
Rutsu stopped and looked at him.  
  
I remember him as being a kind friend. She thought.  
  
But, all I see is a trained warrior.  
  
She noticed the one cut across the side of his face and hurried over to a well.  
  
Dipping a rag there in some water still sitting in the bucket she went back over to Ken and pressed it onto his check.  
  
She noticed the slight sense of pain he had on his face from the cool cloth.  
  
"I see you're good with handling a sword, but ever tried a bow?" Rutsu asked and dropped the rag onto the ground.  
  
"No, I've only actually trained with a sword my whole life."  
  
Rutsu smiled.  
  
"Come on let's see how you can do!" she said taking his wrist and brining him over to the side or her house.  
  
Three trees of different distances stood with small targets on them.  
  
Rutsu handed her bow and a few arrows to Ken, just to see what he could do.  
  
Ken aimed at the closest target, which was a fair ways away and fired.  
  
He missed the tree by about a foot.  
  
"Try it like this."  
  
She took the bow out of his hand and took out a new arrow, and pointed to the tree furthest away and fired.  
  
A fine bulls-eye on the target ahead  
  
"I'm impressed. How did you learn to do that?" Ken asked.  
  
"This used to be a dojo and it took a long time of practice to learn, but I trained with other students. But then most of them started getting killed so the village put an end to trainings."  
  
Ken took out his sword and handed it to Rutsu.  
  
"Let's see how good you are with this."  
  
Rutsu picked it up, and swung at a tree, which went not even half-way through.  
  
"Try it like this." Ken said taking the sword.  
  
He swung it at the tree at the same place Rutsu tried, doing it with so much force, the tree snapped and fell to the ground.  
  
Rutsu was amazed by his persistent use of the sword.  
  
"Uh…we've got more firewood!" She called inside her home.  
  
Ken slid his sword back in.  
  
"You sure must've been through some training! Come, I'll show you the Yuki village's Shrine."  
  
Ken followed her on a small path into a forest that lead to an opening with a stone monument  
  
A bell sat on top, as scriptures in another language was written on it.  
  
"I don't know what it says, but this is the Zhuqiao Shrine, to honor an amazing fire spirit."  
  
Ken starred at it, trying to read it out, but couldn't decipher it.  
  
In the evening, they took a walk on the beach down below.  
  
"Look." Rutsu pointed out.  
  
On the shore a hermit crab scrambled out of an old cramped shell, and into a larger brand new one.  
  
"Even though it's changing shells on the outside, it's still the same thing from before on the inside." Rutsu said looked at Ken.  
  
He looked back at her.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked slightly confused.  
  
She just smiled back.  
  
Rutsu thought she had heard something, coming from the top of a nearby fairly tall cliff.  
  
So, she went over and starred at the top.  
  
"What is it?" Ken asked pulling out his sword being cautious.  
  
Rutsu climbed up to the top and looked around.  
  
No one was in sight.  
  
Turning around she noticed someone there.  
  
About to climb down the person stood in a fighting position, and kicked Rutsu straight off the edge.  
  
Ken saw her drop and went on up.  
  
The person was only armed with fighting skills but Ken's sword put an end to them, and soon pushed them off into the roaring waves of the ocean to be swept away…  
  
Chapter: 3  
  
Everything was black for Rutsu.  
  
She opened her eyes to find daylight, and herself being in bed.  
  
Trying to move her arm, she felt pain.  
  
Rutsu noticed bandages wrapped around it and remembered what had happened.  
  
Looking out her window, she noticed Ken outside playing with some of the village children.  
  
She went down and saw Rukawa, and Yugi, the couple that had taken her in years ago watch Ken outside with the children.  
  
"They sure are having a good time out there." Rukawa said, as she watched out the doorway.  
  
"He's one hell of a babysitter." Yugi mentioned.  
  
She nodded and went out.  
  
The children were excited and went back to their homes laughing when Rutsu came outside.  
  
"Feeling any better?" Ken asked.  
  
Rutsu nodded.  
  
Ken peered around the gardens and started whispering.  
  
"I really do think there's someone trying to assassinate you. Has there been any other strange people lurking around?"  
  
"No." Rutsu answered looking a little scared.  
  
Rutsu did remember them saying that she had something they wanted.  
  
"Maybe, it's because of this."  
  
Out of her pocket she took out a small bag, and inside was a stone carved into the shape of a winged tiger.  
  
Ken looked in amazement and made sure no one around that no one was watching.  
  
"I found it before in our old village, near the Quinglongu shrine. I have no idea what it is, but oddly enough I have accidentally broken it before and it pieced itself back together. You're the first person I've ever shown this too, so I don't know how the assassins know I have it."  
  
Ken thought about it for a moment.  
  
"I'm going in town to find some things out, I'll be back as quickly as possible. Since we don't know if it was made for evil purposes or contains some type of power, make sure no one else knows you posses it."  
  
In a running start, Ken headed out to the village and Rutsu put the stone back in its bag.  
  
The town was not far away, and even though no one had seen him, he didn't want to go there for the memories of nights ago.  
  
But, he knew he had to when remembering the last words of Sakura.  
  
He made it to the forest exit by the town, and stopped to catch his breath.  
  
I can't do this…I can't go in but I must! I thought to himself.  
  
He clenched his fist, and walked inside like he was a typical wanderer.  
  
Ken noticed several people around him looking at the new face that had just walked into their town.  
  
Why are they all looking at me? Do they know? He thought.  
  
He wanted to scream, but it only came out in silence.  
  
Killing evil to him was something worth doing, but like that was just plain murdering, and torture to his own soul.  
  
"Psst, hey you." a mysterious man around his age called quietly from the side of a building.  
  
Wary, Ken was ready to attack but walked over anyways knowing no one else was around waiting for a possible ambush.  
  
"My name is Daisuke, and I know you're looking for the stones."  
  
With anger across his face, Ken was pulling out his sword.  
  
"No, I'm not your enemy and I'm not a stalker. I'm looking for them as well, but not for evil purposes Ken."  
  
"Explain yourself! How do you know about them, why would you think I'm looking for them, and how do you know my name?"  
  
Daisuke took a deep breath in and then started.  
  
"Ok, many years ago my family was traveling for a new area to live in, and one of the places we had to walk near was Nyaga. We watched from a distance as all the villagers ran for their lives, but were slaughtered.  
  
We started rushing so we wouldn't get involved and I remember a woman calling out your name. But on the side of the path, was a Shine.  
  
I wondered away from my family for a moment to look at it, and they still thought I was behind them.  
  
There near the Shrine, I found two small stone figures. One was in the shape of a dragon, and the other in the shape of a rabbit. They somehow drew me near to them.  
  
I took them and hurried off.  
  
I heard about all you in all those battles, being a proud fighting spirit.  
  
Wanting more of those stones, and knowing you were near when they were found before, I found you fighting off an attacker that tried killing some girl for stones.  
  
I noticed a Shrine nearby, but left because it might've gotten too risky not knowing if many more men were looking for them."  
  
Ken slid the sword back into its case.  
  
"I believe you, but how do others know?"  
  
Daisuke sighed in relief, for he wasn't about to be slashed by Ken's sword.  
  
"I heard once about some legend involving many stone, found at four shrines scattered around Japan. So, I'm guessing enemies have found them at the other two Shrines. Baihu and Xuanwu Shrines I think they were called. By the way, I think you might need one."  
  
Daisuke handed out his two stones towards Ken.  
  
"You may choose one to keep." He offered.  
  
Ken wasn't sure whether it would be a good idea to keep one.  
  
But, he stuck his hand and choose the rabbit.  
  
"Many thanks."  
  
Ken turned around as some horsemen came into the village.  
  
Every time since before he hears a horse clomping its hooves, Ken senses certain fright.  
  
Yet he is always looking out for one certain voice he well remembers, and in that case he is ready to kill.  
  
As he turned back around, Daisuke was gone.  
  
He looked around, but he was nowhere in sight.  
  
In a split second, a sharp pain grew from his head.  
  
He was knocked to the ground unconscious by a rock someone had thrown at him.  
  
Waking up, Ken was now in a building with several men, 2 holding him back as a stranger sat on a seat above a platform.  
  
It's Daisuke's fault…Daisuke was trying to frame me… He thought.  
  
"He was working for you, wasn't he?" Ken asked.  
  
"Who was?" the stranger asked.  
  
So maybe he wasn't…. Ken thought again.  
  
The stranger's face was covered in darkness above and he could not see it.  
  
"I'm Master Go, from a town not from near, and I know you are searching for the stones as well. Along with you being a master fighter, I am offering you the position to come with me and me troops and find all the stones!"  
  
Ken struggled trying to reach for his sword, but found it wasn't there and then one of the men swung a punch at his stomach to stop him from escaping.  
  
"Ah, what a sword." The stranger said as he held it examining it.  
  
"Of course, it could never be as great as the Mitsurugi-Ryu sword I've heard legends about."  
  
Ken started breathing heavily, and hung limp.  
  
"I'd never join you…something doesn't seem right."  
  
All Ken could hear from Master Go now was his heavy breathing.  
  
"Leave now." He finally said.  
  
Master Go through down his sword for one man to carry, as they escorted him out of the building and tossed his sword out afterwards so none would be killed.  
  
Ken wasn't about to kill anyone yet, for he needed to know exactly what they did want the stones for.  
  
He checked his pocket for his own.  
  
"Still there." He said putting it back, and headed back to the village.  
  
As he hurried out he picked up a little speed.  
  
I sure hope no more assassins have come. He thought.  
  
With that though in mind, he started speeding up even more.  
  
Chapter: 4  
  
Rutsu watched out her window as Ken made it back.  
  
"Ken-Chan!" she called out.  
  
Climbing out the window with slight pain from her arm, and falling off the roof.  
  
She stood up and dusted herself off and, he came over to help her up.  
  
"Did you find anything out?" she asked.  
  
"This 'Master Go' wanted me to join him with finding the stones, but I refused. Also some person in the town gave me this." Ken informed as he pulled out his stone.  
  
"It's the rabbit." Rutsu said looking at the object.  
  
"He mentioned that there are more shrines out there that have them, and evil might've taken hold of some. I'm going to journey back to Nyaga, knowing most of them have been found there."  
  
Ken didn't want to go back to where everything bad first started happening, but he wanted to before anything worse would happen.  
  
So, he started out.  
  
"Wait, I'm coming too." Rutsu called.  
  
Ken turned around and looked back at her.  
  
"You can't. You're injured, you have to stay here."  
  
"As long as I have a stone as well I'm involved with it. Ever thought someone might try to kill me again once you're away?"  
  
Rutsu had made her point and Ken nodded.  
  
"Ok, you may come too. Instead we'll head out first thing tomorrow at sunrise. Agreed?"  
  
"Right" Rutsu nodded.  
  
The day was already turning to night quickly, and the sun was almost ready to set.  
  
Rutsu was about to go inside but noticed Ken inside, but noticed Ken was taking off his sword case and everything else, laying them down on the ground.  
  
"Aren't you coming in for some rice?" she offered.  
  
"No. I'll be fine here." He said settling himself against the side of a tree.  
  
Sometimes I worry about him. Rutsu thought.  
  
It's almost as if he just doesn't know how to get near, or even talk to people. It's not like what I remember many years ago, before he was laughing and enjoying life every minute of his life.  
  
Now, it's like he's changed, but I still think he just hasn't seen the world from out of his trainings and battles.  
  
He does care about things, he does. But he just can't show it…  
  
Rutsu walked back into home, as she watched Ken sit all alone outside.  
  
When morning came, Rutsu woke up and noticed her bow and arrows along with some food in a satchel at her bedside.  
  
"Ken-Chan was here last night." She said.  
  
Coming outside, Ken waited near the pathway as all the villagers came out bidding farewell to their journey ahead of them.  
  
The young children there seemed sad that Ken was leaving though.  
  
"We'll be back as soon as possible." Ken called out.  
  
Everyone waved as the two headed out of sight.  
  
Not even walking very far Rutsu expected Ken to talk, but he was only focused on one thing.  
  
"We can't stop for supplies. There's only one town between us and our destination, and it's filled with enemies." He finally spoke after some time.  
  
They stopped along the path when it came into a forest, a while later to drink some fresh water out of their flasks.  
  
No farms around yet to find a well anyhow.  
  
Ken suddenly stopped all movements, and set down his water very slowly and quietly.  
  
"Someone's coming." He whispered.  
  
Standing up readily, he pulled out his sword and waited.  
  
Rutsu heard a tree above them ruffled and looked up.  
  
Two men were up there sat, looking down.  
  
One leaped, and dropped right onto Ken's back.  
  
He took hold of his sword so he couldn't swing it, but Ken still tried to shove him off.  
  
Tightening her bow, Rutsu took an arrow out and fired at him.  
  
A perfect hit to the head, and he fell off.  
  
"Thanks. I know who he was though, one of Master Go's men I remembered." Ken said.  
  
Then, several other men came out from their hiding places until Ken and Rutsu were surrounded by at least twenty.  
  
They started closing in.  
  
"This won't be easy." Rutsu said.  
  
But the two had their weapons out ready, as everyone around them drew out their swords.  
  
Leaves' started rustling in the forest another person was still around.  
  
"Who is it this time?" a man called out.  
  
Out from a bush came a face seen before armed with sais.  
  
"Daisuke." Ken said.  
  
Some went over to him and tried fighting, but he some incredible fighting skills.  
  
Soon, every soldier was over trying to attack Daisuke, yet none succeeded yet.  
  
Forgetting Rutsu and Ken were now behind them, they started shooting several arrows and swinging swords until every last one was dead.  
  
"Now that wasn't so hard." Daisuke said, as he proudly put away his weapons.  
  
"Where were you going?" Ken asked him.  
  
"Down to the Quinglongu Shrine, looking for more stones. So where are you going, coming down the same path as me?"  
  
Ken looked ahead of the path that lay ahead.  
  
"Same place."  
  
"Can I come with you? Three fighters are better then two or one."  
  
"Fine." Ken agreed.  
  
With another joining the group, they tried not to step over the bodies, and then make it on their way out of the forest.  
  
Even in the shaded forest, the sun still breathed heat down their necks.  
  
The day wore on, and Ken wiped the sweat off his forehead.  
  
"The end of the forest is coming up." Daisuke said pointing to the steam of light that came from the edge.  
  
Coming out of the forest, the sun was shining more brightly on them.  
  
But, they still noticed a giant town below a hill in a small valley.  
  
It had great walls surrounding it and from the left and to the right, the length of the walls stretched for quite a distance, with the only opening being the entranceway, which amazingly wasn't guarded.  
  
But the width was small for them to pass by.  
  
Ken angrily peered into the town below.  
  
"That's Sayako, and it's filled with enemies, many evil people. I remember that this was the place many years ago of where those murderers came from. One step in there being a foreigner, and they'll kill you.  
  
Some were on the other side in the battles I were in and have lived so they'll know me, and kill me at the first chance they have." Ken spoke.  
  
Rutsu looked at the distance of the walls.  
  
"How else can we get across? The walls stretch for miles."  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
They all headed down the hill without being spotted, and stopped near the entranceway with their back pressed against the wall.  
  
"How else are we going to get in?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"We might just need a diversion, but in such a way that they won't think of us as enemies."  
  
Daisuke looked into the town without being seen and looked around for something, but only found a pile of clothing and a mask.  
  
"So do you expect me to go dress up and pretend to be a Kabuki dancer?"  
  
"Good suggestion." Rutsu pointed out.  
  
"It's the only idea we have so we might as well use it." Ken said.  
  
Daisuke sighed and quickly grabbed the clothes and mask from inside.  
  
"These stones better be worth doing this!"  
  
After getting ready for the distraction, they waited.  
  
"Go…now!" Ken commanded.  
  
Daisuke went in and started dancing, not knowing what he was doing exactly but the townspeople starred as he danced around.  
  
Some were about to draw out swords, but it became more of a comical thing and many crowded around to watched and laugh.  
  
Rutsu started laughing on the other side as well.  
  
"Let's go!" Ken said grabbing her by the wrist and running by crowd who didn't even notice.  
  
The two made it all the way to the back wall.  
  
"How do we get him over here now?" Rutsu asked.  
  
"What's going on here?" a familiar voice asked.  
  
"Too late." Ken said.  
  
It was Master Go, and the crowd opened up for him to walk through.  
  
Daisuke stopped moving as he came closer.  
  
"Why the hell are you dancing around like that? I don't think you are of my town now, are you?"  
  
Daisuke didn't say a word.  
  
"Show yourself!"  
  
He shook his head, and then the entire crowd drew their swords at him.  
  
"Kill him." Master Go instructed.  
  
Ken quickly drew out the sword and grew attention with the whole crowd.  
  
"It's me you want!"  
  
Master Go walked a few steps forward and spoke,  
  
"Well I made the offer, and since you refused it, it's time for you to pay the price!"  
  
The whole crowd charged towards him, yet none of the faces were the horseman were the one he desperately wanted to kill.  
  
Ken noticed a rope hanging from the back wall.  
  
"Go Rutsu!" he yelled.  
  
Daisuke ran along the crowd and made it to the back as well.  
  
He tried the rope to make sure it was sturdy enough, and started climbing.  
  
Ken whipped the sword around and several backed away, but they all stayed a distance from him.  
  
Rutsu watched and gasped.  
  
"He can't take them all on!" she said quietly.  
  
"Come on hurry! He'll make it!" Daisuke called from the top of the wall as he jumped over onto the other side.  
  
So much evil all around here, I can feel it. He thought.  
  
They all want me dead for many years…  
  
She started climbing, but watched as he was still there trying to keep them back.  
  
"Ken-Chan!" she called.  
  
He was brought back to reality.  
  
"Charge!" The crowd yelled.  
  
As they started running over, he did several back flips over to the wall and climbed on over to the other side.  
  
Seeing everyone was safe, Daisuke yanked the rope so no one else on the other side would climb over.  
  
Ken started catching his breath.  
  
"Are you alright?" Rutsu asked.  
  
"I'm fine…" Ken answered.  
  
"Shh! Hold on…" Daisuke said with his ear pressed against the wall.  
  
"Let them go," Master Go told them.  
  
"We'll have a plan to kill them all, and that day will lead us to victories all over Japan when we're through with that Ken! It's time for us to prepare!"  
  
Daisuke sighed.  
  
"It sounds bad. We should really pick up our pace and get out of here, before anymore surprise attacks are made."  
  
Ken and Rutsu nodded and they all hurried into the hills that lay in front of them.  
  
Chapter: 5  
  
They all stopped near a cow pasture at the top of the hills, where the ground started getting even and looked back at the town a long ways away.  
  
"They're plotting something against us…" Daisuke said.  
  
"Hey Scarface!" a voice called from the cow fence.  
  
Ken looked angry and started walking fast, as Daisuke and Rutsu followed.  
  
A boy their age sat on the fence of the cow pasture smiling at them.  
  
"Who are you?" Ken said with his sword ready.  
  
"I'm Ryou. Your former trainer, Hiko Seijuro's son."  
  
"I don't remember him mentioning a son." Ken said.  
  
Ryou jumped off the fence and walked towards him.  
  
"Well, I've never actually seen him so I guess that makes up for it."  
  
Ken still looked at it a little oddly but put his sword away.  
  
Ryou noticed Daisuke and Rutsu and went over to greet them.  
  
Ryou noticed Rutsu and eyed her in a way.  
  
"So Ken, is this your sister you're going out with?" he asked.  
  
Ken got mad once again.  
  
"She's not my sister…"  
  
Rutsu looked at him disgusted and backed away as he kept coming close.  
  
Daisuke just wasn't about to be part of it and backed away, as Ken came over angrily.  
  
"Well I heard in some villages do."  
  
Ryou looked at Ken and stopped.  
  
"I've heard about these stone, is it alright if I come with you all and find one for myself?"  
  
Ken glared at him and said nothing.  
  
"Let's just let him come." Daisuke said.  
  
"Reason with him Ken…" Ryou said.  
  
"Fine." Ken said.  
  
Ryou just backed away not wanting to get in his way.  
  
"Something about him." Ken whispered to Rutsu.  
  
Ryou smiled.  
  
"Thank you Ken-San!"  
  
"I've still got my eye on you…" Ken told him.  
  
They started traveling in horizontal line starting with Ryou, Rutsu, Ken, and then Daisuke, and things went going to well.  
  
Rutsu was getting very mad with Ryou getting closer every step of the way, and when he put his arm around her neck she had enough.  
  
She took out her bow and an arrow and pointed it to his head.  
  
"Go to the other side of Daisuke, I'm warning you."  
  
Ryou put his hands up in the air and did as he was told.  
  
Ken glared back at him once again.  
  
"Hey, what's that up ahead?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Over a hill stood many black objects in the dirt in rows.  
  
"That would be Nyaga, Rutsu and I used to live there many years ago." Ken announced  
  
As they stepped into the dark land everyone was silent.  
  
Rutsu looked over and saw all the buildings that used to stand in ashes, which would've been torched.  
  
"It feels cold, like a spiritual presence." Daisuke said slowly rubbing his hands together.  
  
Ken took out his sword and stuck it into the ground, as he knelt down with his hands holding onto the handle and hung his head.  
  
"It's hard to believe this once used to be such a beautiful and peacefully place. br Yet, probably many other villages faced the same doom as this one." Rutsu spoke through tears.  
  
A cool breeze blew down and with his eyes closed Ken titled his head up towards it, which as almost as a sign that everything will be all right, and a sign of peace.  
  
"Probably deserved what they had coming." Ryou muttered under his breath as he kicked a rock down a hill.  
  
It was enough for Ken to here.  
  
Taking his sword out of the ground he ran towards him, slamming him to the ground and pointing it and inch from his neck.  
  
"How dare you disrespect the dead? They died from savagely being killed, and trying to save us! One woman's last words were for me to protect Rustu and I obey it, even if it would lead me to my death, because I never disobey the last words of a person!  
  
Just wait and see the day it happens to you when you are there, thriving to live and know how it feels." Ken said pressing the sword a little closer as Ryou's eyes got bigger with fear.  
  
"Ken-Chan, it's not worth it." Rutsu called out.  
  
He looked back and then put his sword back.  
  
"I found the Shrine!" Daisuke called from a ways away.  
  
No one even knew he was gone out looking, so the three followed his voice to it.  
  
"It's the Quinglongu Shrine. See any stones?" Daisuke asked.  
  
They looked around it but nothing was seen on the ground's surface.  
  
"I know what this says." Ryou said looking at the writing on the stone.  
  
"How do you know this foreign language?" Ken asked him.  
  
"I learned it when I was young! It's in Cantonese and says:  
  
Ashes to ashes  
  
Dust to Dust  
  
Rock to rock  
  
The battle may have been death-filled,  
  
But the victory will ring through the hills."  
  
"I don't understand." Daisuke said.  
  
"Ashes and dust talk about death, but rock to rock…then Shrine is made of rock and so are the stones." Rutsu thought out.  
  
Ken took out his stone and looked at it, then placed in on the top of the shrine.  
  
"Nothing happened." He said.  
  
About a second later the top of the Shrine shot up with a beam of light, and everyone looked in amazement.  
  
Rutsu took hers out and placed it on and Daisuke did the same.  
  
The light has blinding and no one could see a thing.  
  
As soon as it began, the light stopped and the stones were gone.  
  
"Looks like the fight will began soon." An odd voice said coming from behind everyone.  
  
They all turned around with their mouths dropped open at what they were seeing.  
  
Three creatures stood there not any bigger than any person.  
  
A rabbit in purple wearing an orange ninja suit and holding onto two razors, a fiery lynx, and a blue dragon wearing fiery Armour stood there looking back at them.  
  
"What are you?" Ken asked the rabbit.  
  
"We've been born to tell the past, and our purpose." The rabbit spoke.  
  
"We are called Devas, but not many know of our history. Many years ago, as spirits with fought among each other, but no one ever one. Humans soon found us and made Shrines where we were sealed away in shrines. But, as a spirit we broke apart and were soon made into several stones, three to a Shrine.  
  
But, that was thousands of years ago and all we've been born to do is fight, so it's been foretold those who summon us are the people's side we fight on in the next battle us Devas fight.  
  
We must fight as one whole spirit, because if any of the three stones are separated and two sides of the war have them, there's no telling what side the spirit would be on."  
  
"Do any of you gods have names?" Rutsu asked.  
  
"We aren't quite gods, but have quite a potential. We also fight along side of whoever conjured us. I am a Rinku, fighting with Rutsu." the Lynx spoke.  
  
"My name is Tueri, fighting with Ken." the rabbit said.  
  
"And I am Fladoro, fighting with Daisuke." the dragon said.  
  
Ryou looked mad that he never had a chance to get one.  
  
"How are your fighting skills?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"Watch." Fladoro said rushing into a forest nearby.  
  
Fire appeared from his metallic hands and shot down towards a tree.  
  
He then leaped into the air, and then rammed his horn onto of his head through the tree cutting it in two.  
  
Tueri rushed to a different tree and with one big slash from his razor, that tree was also now in two.  
  
Rinku stood there, concentrating.  
  
The fires started to burn fore fiercely and you could now see it in his eyes.  
  
He started running so fast like a charging fireball, and rammed into another tree.  
  
It started wobbling and then fell.  
  
"Beware, we know the other stones from the Xuanwu and Baihu have been possessed by humans, but not conjured yet. They will be heading for the Zhuqia stones, and us spirits can work with another spirit, if the stones were conjured by the same side." Tueri said.  
  
"We should hurry there." Ryou said.  
  
"With the Sayako knowing who we are we can't go right through, we're going to have to take the long distance around the walled town." Ken said.  
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
"What's that?" Daisuke asked, pointing to a figure coming up from the hills.  
  
Ken took a few steps up and looked.  
  
"Someone's hiding a horse coming this way." He said  
  
The horse stopped at a distance and he started shouting across the hills.  
  
It's not him. Ken thought.  
  
"I'm a messenger from Sayako, and offering a war between our town and whoever you choose to come Samurai. In twenty days, in the afternoon, on these hills. Do you choose to accept?"  
  
Looking back at the Devas, he also remembered they had stones as well and were probably going to use them too.  
  
"Fine." Ken shouted.  
  
"Those damned things are as good as dead." The horseman said looking at the creatures.  
  
He then turned around and galloped back to his town.  
  
"Knowing that town this war is going to be big, there's going to be a lot of people dead out there." Ken said.  
  
"It'll be dark soon, so where could we sleep, with the long walk ahead of us?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"In the middle of the forest here somewhere is a lake we could all rest by." Ryou offered.  
  
"That's what we'll do, lead us the way to it." Ken said starring at him again.  
  
Chapter: 6  
  
As Ryou was safely leading people through the forest, Ken still thought something of him though.  
  
"Rinku, I have a question." Rutsu asked.  
  
Rinku lifted up his fiery saber-toothed head to her.  
  
"If your stone was a winged tiger, why are you a lynx? Along with all the others as well."  
  
"As said before, we are quite weak because soon we'll be able to change forms and you'll see that winged tiger you once held in your hand." He explained.  
  
Soon, everyone made it to the lake, just as the sun fully set and stars lit up the sky.  
  
All the Devas and humans huddled together and around Rinku for warmth of the cold night.  
  
But tonight, Ken sat on the lake's shore polishing his sword as the new shine glistened in the moonlight.  
  
Rutsu woke up and went over to sit beside him without disturbing anyone else's rest.  
  
"I used to think that all warriors were just cold-hearted killers that didn't care about much in the world. You're different from them Ken-Chan, like what I said before on the beach I do think that about you."  
  
Ken looked at her and kept on polishing his sword.  
  
"I'm not just trying to protect you because of what Sakura said." He said and then kept on with his sword.  
  
I guess that's about as close as he is to saying, but I really do think he likes me, he's just been training all his life he could never actually express true feeling. Rutsu thought.  
  
For the rest of the night Rutsu stood by, while Ken didn't mind as he polished his sword throughout the night…  
  
The next morning everyone was up and started preparing a meal.  
  
The Devas served quite helpful.  
  
Rinku started digging a hole in the ground, and then huddled in it as Tueri and Fladoro gathered sticks and placing them upon his flames, and making a structure to hold a kettle for cooking rice.  
  
"We should eat as quickly as possible, the enemy's side can't have another spirit on their side to fight with." Ken said.  
  
Daisuke noticed that none of the Devas decided to eat.  
  
"Do you like food?" he asked them.  
  
"We have enough stored energy in our bodies to act as nutrition, we do not need food." Fladoro explained.  
  
As soon as they finished Rinku stood up, stretched his legs, and then shook off the dirt on him.  
  
Then, there were off back to Yuki to the Zhuqia Shrine.  
  
On the walk, Ryou stood far from Ken from fear, and Rutsu from her arrows as possible.  
  
He started talking to Daisuke, which was probably the only one that had a little sense of trust in him.  
  
"Don't you ever carry weaponry? I've never seen you with any." Daisuke asked.  
  
"I have a few shurikens I carry around, but I like to save them."  
  
Daisuke nodded.  
  
Ken stopped for, as the footsteps from behind him seemed to stop.  
  
He turned back and noticed the Devas had stopped walking.  
  
Everyone else turned back to look.  
  
"What's going on?" Rutsu asked.  
  
"The battle is coming soon…" Tueri said.  
  
"But it's not for another nineteen days." Ryou told them.  
  
"Our strength still increases by the day until the final war we face before returning to the Shrines." Rinku said.  
  
"So you're only staying around for one battle and then going back?" Ryou asked.  
  
"It's our only reason for even coming out of the Shrine in the first place." Fladoro said.  
  
In a moment's time, the white glow had started to shine on them as well.  
  
When it was over, they had changed their forms to that of the stones.  
  
Slightly bigger than the previous form, Tueri was now a more slender brown rabbit, Fladoro had now become a slender green dragon, and Rinku had become that winged tiger.  
  
"That was amazing." Daisuke said.  
  
Ryou just watched in envy as everyone else now had one even more powerful and impressive looking than before.  
  
"Along with changing our bodies, our names have also changed, I am Antira, the tiger in Mihira, and the dragon is Majira."  
  
Between the trees they noticed some movement from the walls of the town.  
  
"They must've spotted us!" Ken said.  
  
"We must hurry out of here to the next Shrine as possible! Get on, it'll speed up the time!" Majira said.  
  
Rutsu got on Mihira's back, as Daisuke and Ryou got on Majira's, but Ken refused to get on Antira's.  
  
"I'd just rather run," he told him.  
  
"Very well, I hope you'll be able to catch up with us though."  
  
So the three Devas ran through the forest with Ken at their side racing.  
  
They were running past the wall, but soon Ken started slowing down and stopped.  
  
They all stopped and looked back.  
  
"Come on Ken-Chan, it'll save more time." Rutsu called.  
  
Instead of going over towards them, he went towards the wall and looked through a slim crack in it.  
  
Inside a creature stood that looked like a beautiful swan, but light brightened it and became a fearful rooster.  
  
Ken ran over to the rest.  
  
"They learned the stone secret now. They're getting the creatures and are growing bigger now we must get back."  
  
Antira bent down in front of him.  
  
"Alright, I'll come." He agreed.  
  
Within little time they made it back to the village and his amongst the trees to watch, the terror of many people running for their lives and few buildings being torched.  
  
"They've already been here." Ryou watched.  
  
Ken watched in anger and started breathing heavily.  
  
Not again…it's happening all over again! He thought.  
  
As he looked, down he noticed a horseman leading them, the same one.  
  
"Come on bakas! It shouldn't be that hard to find only three damned rocks!" he ordered.  
  
Daisuke noticed Antira's eyes glowing a crimson colour as he also peered down.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked.  
  
"Fighting with Ken means I fight on his side and I can feel when he has the sense to fight and kill. Since there are no other Devas or spirits out there for me to fight, I shall do his fighting for him." He said stepping out of the forest.  
  
Antira clenched his fists and raised them into the air.  
  
He could clearly tell which were enemies and which weren't and smacked the enemies with his giant arms.  
  
None have found the Shrine yet but they kept going on attacking.  
  
"Mihira, why aren't you down there?" Rutsu asked.  
  
"You don't have the same wanting of fighting as he does."  
  
Rutsu looked over at Ken and he kept looking down as if he were concentrating on killing with his mind.  
  
Majira never went either, but Ryou got off the dragon and was about the look for the Shrine.  
  
Majira noticed and put his clawed hand in the way.  
  
"If you find it now it will just lead them towards it!" he said stopping Ryou.  
  
Antira's rage caused almost the innocent getting hurt, but charging towards the horseman.  
  
He tried running, but the rabbit was only running towards him.  
  
"Retreat!" he shouted.  
  
Soon, every one of his troops was cleared out and went back to their own town.  
  
Antira's eyes went back to normal, but a disaster was throughout the whole village.  
  
No one had died, but many were badly injured.  
  
For some reason Rutsu looked and noticed Ken still had his angered eyes fixed down below.  
  
"Ken-Chan?"  
  
He turned around and was once again brought back to reality.  
  
"I'm fine." He said walking on over to the injured.  
  
Majira and Mihira along with the others went down.  
  
The riders got off and helped the wounded, as the Devas helped trying to repair the buildings.  
  
"Are those…creatures here to help? The one seemed evil, almost possessed." One villager asked Daisuke.  
  
"You will have to remember which ones are here now, not all of them are good." He answered.  
  
Until sunset they helped the village, completely forgetting about the Shrine.  
  
Ryou remembered and tried reminding everyone, but they were concentrating and fixed on what they were doing they could not hear his voice.  
  
"We should look for the stones now, the boy seems anxious."  
  
Even then everyone was helping mend people and fix the destruction.  
  
"Just tell him to go find it and we'll be there shortly." Rutsu told the dragon as she was patiently bandaging up a woman's hand.  
  
They started running short of bandages soon enough, and since she hasn't felt pain for a while, she took off her own from her arm to use.  
  
Ryou was pacing around and soon set down his bag that he carried over his shoulders, because the weight became too much for him now.  
  
Soon enough, the dragon gave Ryou the message and then went off looking.  
  
Chapter: 7  
  
Ryou started looking all around, as he searched in the forest.  
  
Through a bush he noticed a small golden bell.  
  
"There it is!" he said.  
  
Coming out there though, he noticed there was someone already there.  
  
"Master Go?" he addressed.  
  
"Yes, it's me. And I'll be the one to kill you now boy!"  
  
He backed up reaching for his bag, which he had left at the village.  
  
Master Go pulled out a fairly large dagger and leaped into the air.  
  
Ryou couldn't move though.  
  
Just at the right moment Ken came into the clearing, saw what was going on and pulled out his sword.  
  
All within time Master Go still hadn't land yet, so all Ken had to do was hold it straight into the air.  
  
He surly fell on it, right through his stomach.  
  
"Zutto will soon lead and be rid of you for good…" he looked to Ken and said.  
  
Pulling out the sword, Master Go fell to the ground dead.  
  
Who's Zutto? Ken thought.  
  
"You saved me." Ryou told him.  
  
"He was evil, I slay evil, that's what I do."  
  
Ryou smiled.  
  
"Either way I guess I still owe you one."  
  
Looking down, he noticed something lying down on the ground on the Shrine.  
  
Three small stone lay around.  
  
Ken noticed them and kneeled down to look.  
  
"Rutsu-San! Daisuke-Kun! Come here quick!" Ryou called.  
  
"I'll be back as possible. Can you take over?" Rutsu asked another to help out with the patient, as she went to the Shine.  
  
Daisuke got Majira to help out with reconstructing a building as he ran over as well.  
  
Ryou looked through all of them.  
  
"This one looks interesting." He said picking up the snake stone.  
  
Ken looked and picked up the one shaped like a horse.  
  
As Rutsu and Daisuke came there, only one stone remained, the ram.  
  
"You may have it." Daisuke offered Rustu.  
  
"Thanks Daisuke-Kun."  
  
She also went and chose it.  
  
They all did what was done before and the blinding light returned.  
  
But, instead of being a different form as the stone, these three Devas were already in their stronger form.  
  
"I am Indara." The purple two-legged horse spoke.  
  
"Why aren't you in those other forms?" Ryou asked.  
  
"We grew our ssstrength while we were ssstonesss, sssinccce the battle is nearing. I am Sssantira!" The white cobra explained.  
  
The ram held a crossbow in her hands, which Rutsu kept gazing at.  
  
"I can tell you fancy this Rutsu, for you know my name is Panjira" she said, but soon got startled and looked forward into the forest.  
  
Out came the other three Devas.  
  
There all starred at the two sides for a moment and then bowed to each other.  
  
"It will be a privilege fight along side with you." Indara told the other side.  
  
"What's that?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Everyone quieted and then shouting from the village could be heard.  
  
Everyone ran back and the Devas followed behind.  
  
Everyone gathered as the ruler of the town stood on a platform and spoke and as the well and injured listened.  
  
"We've got to do something about those killers from Sayako! Something must be done by their terror!" he said.  
  
Ken rushed up to where he stood.  
  
"There's been a war declared in the fields beyond Sayako in nineteen days, with their entire army force against me and whoever chooses to fight along side me. I was wondering if there was anyone out there that wishes to fight against them as well, knowing that the war will my defiantly bloody and many deaths will occur."  
  
The crowd went silent.  
  
"If Ken is in, I have no choice but to go along. Fighting in this war is my destiny." Antira said.  
  
"I'm in!" Rutsu shouted.  
  
"If she is in, so are we." Panjira and Mihira said.  
  
"That would be the same for me." Indara mentioned.  
  
"Me too." Daisuke walked forward.  
  
"I am with him." Majira said.  
  
Within a moment Ryou finally spoke.  
  
"Alright I'm in!" he said crossing his arms.  
  
"Sssame!"  
  
One by one the village people were in, except the woman and children, until everyone agreed to go in.  
  
"It is decided then! The war will began within time with Ken here leading us." br The village ruler announced.  
  
The crowd cheered.  
  
Ken took out his sword and held it in the air.  
  
The crowd held their fists in the air and cheered once more.  
  
I wonder if Rutsu realizes that her entire village may be killed, but it seems that she's in on this too. Ken thought.  
  
As the days wore on up until battle, many people got better and started training.  
  
Ken taught many on using the sword, Rutsu would practice with her arrows in a very serious matter this time, and even got to use Panjira's crossbow.  
  
Yet, it was too heavy and quite hard to control.  
  
Daisuke used his sais and showed many villagers some useful techniques.  
  
The Devas self trained themselves in the forest with the trees, which was about the only thing big enough to use for practice.  
  
All the people just ignored the sound of the trees crashing down and continued on.  
  
Although, with everyone training so hard, Ryou didn't do that much or even help others.  
  
Sometimes he would throw a few shurikens to a target, but either than that he just sat around and watched.  
  
All day and all night they trained endlessly, so they too would learn on how to strike back at their enemies.  
  
And so the days counted…  
  
It was the night before the big war that would take place.  
  
Everyone involved slept outside, just in case of any surprise attack would happen during the night.  
  
The woman and children were forced into their homes and wouldn't be let out until further notice.  
  
Although the children wanted to go outside and play, they always got caught and got called back in by their mothers.  
  
Almost everyone was asleep except the Devas, Ken, Rutsu, and Daisuke, the night watchers.  
  
The Devas were growing even more strong, and looked like they would just slaughter the first enemy Deva they saw.  
  
"What do you think about tomorrow you two?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"I have no idea what it may be like. I've never actually seen a war, just a massacre. But with my arrows I'll be ready." Rutsu said.  
  
"I need to find out who this 'Zutto' is. Master Go said he'll be leading, and I need to know who that is."  
  
Ken looked over at the sleeping Ryou.  
  
"I still feel like there is something about him that cannot be trusted!"  
  
"We'll just have to see tomorrow. But we'll have to protect each of our backs, at least that what I know I'm doing." Daisuke said.  
  
Ken and Rutsu nodded.  
  
Looking up at the sky, the sun was rising.  
  
Chapter: 8  
  
Everyone awakened at the sight of the sun, and had to make it over onto the side of Nyaga, walking the longs ways around Sayako, before the enemy made it.  
  
The troop was lead be Ken, with Rutsu, Daisuke, and Ryou.  
  
At the end the Devas walked to protect the end of the line.  
  
It was taking a fairly long time, and already they had past Sayako, they just had to make it to their positions before the sun was directly above their heads, which would be soon.  
  
"Alright! We have to hurry!" Ken ordered form the front.  
  
Everyone picked up their pace and soon made it near the grave site of Nyaga.  
  
They stood in perfect rows, with the Devas being in the front row, and Ken leading in the very front.  
  
Ryou looked over at Daisuke.  
  
"For being a great friend to me even when others were in doubt, you might need these just in case." Ryou told him.  
  
He passed Daisuke several shurikens into his hand.  
  
"You just may need them."  
  
Ken watched him as he gave away some weaponry.  
  
Daisuke smiled and then looked ahead to see if they were coming yet.  
  
"It's a trap! They lied to us!" one man shouted.  
  
"Be patient and wait!" Ken called to him.  
  
The watched on the hills and still no one came, yet they stood still.  
  
Rutsu looked above her head, and the sun was directly above.  
  
She looked straight ahead and there they were.  
  
A giant army, a little bigger than there's along with there Devas that had a golden rooster, a great blue dog, a monkey wearing clothes and a hat, a black armored ox, a golden rat, and a shaggy furred boar.  
  
The Devas on Ken's side were getting very willing to fight as they had seen their opponents.  
  
"We will only attack on queue by our side's leader." Indara told Ken.  
  
As soon as they came close enough to yell across to, Ken's eyes widened as he saw who was leading.  
  
The same man from years ago, and he was the only one in the whole war riding a horse.  
  
"Zutto! It's him!" Ken quietly said.  
  
"Boy! It's time to fight! And this time no mercy will be given, and I shall kill you this time, and her!" Zutto said pointing to Rutsu.  
  
She gasped.  
  
That anger on Ken's eyes returned.  
  
"We have been training for a very long time, and our Devas have grown very strong, there is no way we can loose!" Ken shouted.  
  
"Oh yes you will! We will rule more land than before, and kill off more villages, steal their goods and become rich enough to be very rich and maybe kick out the emperor of Japan!" Zutto shouted.  
  
His side cheered loudly.  
  
Zutto drew out his sword and held it in the air.  
  
"It is time to face your doom!"  
  
Ken drew out his as well, ready for anything.  
  
"CHARGE!" Zutto commanded.  
  
The enemy side charged.  
  
Ken pointed his sword to their direction and everyone on his side charged.  
  
As the war began, a great phenomenon had happened with the Devas.  
  
As the people fought some stopped and watched the happening.  
  
The Devas on Ken's side started glowing either red or blue, and on the other side they glowed either green or white.  
  
Each becoming a smoke of that colour, the colours formed together to become four giant translucent beasts.  
  
"The spirits! That's what they meant! Xuanwu, Quinglongu, Zhuqia, and Baihu!" Rutsu mentioned.  
  
These spirits rose into the sky being a kind of translucent smoke, but having the bodies visible.  
  
Quinglongu was a glowing blue dragon, Zhuqia was a glowing red bird, Xuanwu was a glowing green turtle, with two heads and a bush sprouting out of it's shell, and Baihu being a great white tiger.  
  
They fought their own battle in the sky Quinglongu and Zhuqia versus Xuanwu and Baihu.  
  
Down below the war raged.  
  
Already many were dead, but the living kept fighting on.  
  
Many people tried ganging up on Ken, but none yet stood a chance.  
  
Having the advantage on horseback, Zutto just rode by with his sword killing as many villagers as possible.  
  
Rutsu's self-training with her bow paid off.  
  
Daisuke had to attack up close with using his sais, but he could back away quite fast.  
  
Yet once again Ryou didn't do quite a lot and just dodged weapons, and tried not getting involved.  
  
Within time, many started ganging up on Daisuke from his fighting skills he has shown.  
  
Although a good fighter, he could not take down all that surrounded him.  
  
Ken looked over and noticed.  
  
"Daisuke!" he shouted.  
  
He came over with his sword trying to slash at as many enemies as possible.  
  
They started backing off now.  
  
"Arigato." Daisuke said.  
  
Ken nodded.  
  
He looked around seeing if any others needed help and even Rutsu was doing quite well fighting, but Ryou was the one with the troubles now as Zutto approached him, got off his horse and started beating him to the ground.  
  
Ken didn't want to go help, but he went over anyways.  
  
"Foolish boy! At least you showed us how to work out making the stones come alive but what the hell are you doing on their side?" he asked continuously beating.  
  
Ken glared at him as Zutto started kicking him on the ground.  
  
"You set this whole thing up, betraying us and being on their side all along. I KNEW something was different about you!" Ken told him.  
  
"It's not like that! It was a mission, but I didn't want to afterwards! Seriously, I changed after you saved me!"  
  
Ken was furious, but looked up at Zutto as he had just gone back up on his horse and disappeared in the fighting crowd.  
  
"I will be back to kill you!" he shouted.  
  
Ken took his sword and pointed it to him lying on the ground almost helpless.  
  
"I just kill you now for what you've done. Lying, making them stronger by sneaking out one night and showing them the Devas secret, and now your worthless to anyone. You belong on neither side."  
  
He just starred up to him, trying to breath from his breath shortage of the beating.  
  
He kept the sword pointing, and then his arm started trembling and he just couldn't do.  
  
Ken walked away, and passed by the many bodies already lying on the ground.  
  
Less than a hundred were probably left from the entire battle.  
  
Daisuke was fighting nearby and just got his arm badly cut by someone's sword and was falling to the ground with a few men around going to kill him.  
  
Ken ran up there and killed most of them, having the rest back off.  
  
A fair amount of blood was pouring out.  
  
"Ken-San, go on and fight, I'll be here and I'll be fine."  
  
He didn't want to leave but with his anger Zutto was close by and he started walking up to him.  
  
Ken walked angrily holding the bloodied sword in one hand and a clenched fist in another.  
  
Zutto was no more on his horse and kept on killing until he noticed Ken.  
  
Zutto shoved his sword into someone and then looked up.  
  
He starred at him with an evil grin.  
  
Ken's hand started shaking again and soon his sword fell out of his hand and he had a look of fear on his face.  
  
What's going on? He thought  
  
I fear scared and somehow, I've forgotten how to fight. I've forgotten it all.  
  
In the sky above, Quinglongu and Zhuqia's power was somehow growing weak and their glow seemed to be dimming.  
  
Ken stood there in shock with his eyes opened wide.  
  
Almost paralyzed, Zutto came running over and started beating him very violently and in his shock he did nothing to stop it.  
  
Knocked to the ground, having been punched several times in the head by Zutto's large fists he did nothing.  
  
Then, having weakened Zutto walked over to take a sword out of a dead man's hand and was slowly walking back over to Ken.  
  
"Time to die!" he said looking down at him with a much bruised face and the trickle of blood from his mouth; he was too much in shock now.  
  
"No don't!" Ryou yelled.  
  
With a battle cry, Zutto charged over as Ryou came in between the two with his arms stretched out.  
  
Zutto couldn't stop and instead of killing Ken, the sword slid right through Ryou.  
  
Chapter: 9  
  
From somewhere behind this, a shuriken came flying by and hit Zutto in the head getting stuck half way.  
  
Daisuke, it was him… Ken thought remembering Ryou giving him several to use.  
  
He quickly took the sword out and went over to find out who had done it.  
  
Ryou fell to the ground by Ken, and Ken stood up looking down at him.  
  
"I was serious…about what I said about changing my ways before," Ryou started having a very tough time trying to talk.  
  
"After you saved me…the first time I realized everything and you helped me out twice…"  
  
Ken noticed all the blood seeping out of his fatal wound.  
  
"I owed you back…that's what friends do…and you've been a great friend to me…for everything that's happened. I'm sorry I've ever been born…for I've been born on their side."  
  
He paused for a moment to try breathing, but the strain on his face showed it caused great "I'm suffering badly…I just want to die but it's very painful right now…please help me out one last time…just let me die…"  
  
Ken looked down and had a slight tear coming down his face.  
  
So, he went over taking a sword from the dead.  
  
"Thank you for everything…Ken-Chan…" Ryou said trying to smile.  
  
He raised it in the air and stabbed down on his neck.  
  
Ryou was now out of his misery.  
  
Soon, he heard a scream that came from behind.  
  
Turning around he headed over to find Zutto now beating Rutsu.  
  
Looking up in the sky Quinglongu and Zhuqia were being beaten badly, and looking on the ground only him, Rutsu, Zutto, and possibly even Daisuke were the only ones still alive.  
  
Zutto held Rutsu by her long hair, took out a dagger and held it against her neck.  
  
"You threw that shuriken…" he told her.  
  
She didn't say a word just frightened badly.  
  
Zutto looked over seeing Ken walking towards them.  
  
"Come any closer and I'll slit her throat!"  
  
Ken stopped and had that panicking feeling once again.  
  
Why can't I remember how to fight? He started wondering.  
  
Rutsu is in danger and I can't do anything about it! All my life I thought killing Zutto was my destiny, so I resorted in killing many other evil people, and all that time I was supposed to be fulfilling by rightful destiny; protecting Rutsu.  
  
Now thanks to me, she'll die and I can't do anything about it!  
  
I have great feelings for her, called "love" I think, I'm not sure I've never known it.  
  
I actually need help; I've just been too stubborn to admit I'm not the best warrior…  
  
Quinglongu looked stopped fighting for a moment and looked at Ken.  
  
"Seijuro was right about you, a pure spirited fighter. You truly are a Samurai."  
  
Quinglongu became smoke once again and started circling down like a wind towards Ken and grew smaller.  
  
Zutto shoved Rutsu down to the ground and watched.  
  
She felt her neck as a small red line of blood was there.  
  
The smoke started to form, and became a sword.  
  
"The Mitsurugi-Ryu! But how, only one exists!" Zutto shouted.  
  
This one was different although, bearing a carving of a dragon on the handle.  
  
"His scar…it's gone." Rutsu said looking at his face.  
  
Ken held onto this shining new sword, and felt total control and just looked at it in amazement.  
  
"The spirit of Quinglongu has created this sword. Feels like he is still apart of it." Ken said.  
  
He looked straight at Zutto and pointed his brand new sword down at him.  
  
Ken charged straight at him, Zutto doing nothing about it.  
  
"This is for all the pain you have caused!" Ken yelled shoving it into his stomach.  
  
The spirit of Quinglongu exited the sword and entered Zutto's body.  
  
Ken took the sword out as the spirit remained inside.  
  
He really was feeling all the pain he as caused as Quinglongu was giving all his killing pain back to him.  
  
Zutto fell to the ground dead and Quinglongu floated back up into the sky up to Zhuqia.  
  
Ken put this sword into his old sword's case and walked over to Rutsu.  
  
"Are you alright?" Ken asked Rutsu as he helped her up to her feet.  
  
"I'm fine, but what happened to your scar?"  
  
"Quinglongu must've healed it, probably for the purpose that I'm not supposed to be a killer. Wait, is Daisuke still alive?"  
  
They ran over to where he was.  
  
"Daisuke?" Rutsu asked him.  
  
Ken gently shook his arm.  
  
He opened his eyes and was watching the sky.  
  
"Look." He pointed.  
  
They looked up and saw the spirits.  
  
Quinglongu and Zhuqia started glowing brightly, and Baihu and Xuanwu started dissolving and both floated back to their Shrines.  
  
Victorious, Quinglongu and Zhuqia roared, and then went back to their own Shrines.  
  
A bell from Nyaga started ringing.  
  
"Quinglongu's Shrine…victory really is ringing through the hills." Daisuke spoke as Rutsu and Ken helped him up.  
  
"There's still one more thing we have to do." Ken said.  
  
They traveled back to Sayako to see if anyone was still hiding there, coming out to kill again.  
  
"Do you think we should torch the buildings, if any were to return?" Daisuke suggested.  
  
"We have to check them all though. Just in case anyone is still inside." Ken said.  
  
Inside the first house they walked into, a little girl stood in the corner crying.  
  
"What happened?" Ken asked her.  
  
"My mother said she would be going into a war and might not be coming out. Before she went, she told me not to grow up and be like her."  
  
They all felt bad.  
  
"Sorry to say, but, she won't be coming back." Rutsu tried saying to break it up to her.  
  
She hung her head and looked depressed.  
  
"That just makes me mad!" Diasuke said, and then hit his injured arm against the building's wall.  
  
"Ow! Oh that hurts!"  
  
The girl rubbed her tears and laughed a little.  
  
"Hey would you like to come with my to take care of you?" Daisuke asked her.  
  
It put a bit of a smile on her face.  
  
"Alright."  
  
No one else was found in town, but they helped bandage up Daisuke to stop the bleeding.  
  
The four stood at the entrance of the town, where the sun still shone brightly.  
  
"I guess it's time we go our separate ways now. I'm in need of finding myself a woman to help me raise this child." Daisuke told the two.  
  
"Well Ken-Chan, it looks like your warrior days are over." Rutsu told him.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"The only reason I even did fight was to get my revenge and it's been done."  
  
Ken held onto her hand.  
  
Daisuke looked at them and smiled.  
  
"Many lives have ended out there today, but there will always be a beginning, just like you two."  
  
Rutsu smiled at Ken.  
  
"Yes, I do remember you Ken-Chan getting along with kids very well. A new start, a whole-new life."  
  
A smile was across Ken's face for probably the first time ever since they were little kids.  
  
Daisuke and Ken and Rutsu parted their two separate ways, as for them now, life would be like the dawning of a whole new day…  
  
The End 


End file.
